Abstract
There is a pressing need to advance our ability to construct three-dimensional (3D) functional bioelectronic interfaces. Additionally, to ease the transition to building cellular electronic systems, a remote approach to merge electrical components with biology is desirable. By combining 3D digital inkjet printing with bipolar electrochemistry, we remotely control and fabricate conductive wires, forming a first of its kind contactless bionic manufacturing procedure. It enables controlled fabrication of conductive wires in a three-dimensional configuration. Moreover, we demonstrate that this technology could be used to grow and interface conductive conduits in situ with mammalian cells, offering a new strategy to engineering bioelectronic interfaces. This represents a step change in the production of functional complex circuitry and considerably increases the manufacturing capabilities of merging cells with electronics. This approach provides a platform to construct bioelectronics in situ offering a potential paradigm shift in the methods for building bioelectronics with potential applications in biosensing and bioelectronic medicine.
Highlights
Bioelectronics is the merging of biology with electronics, and current state-of-the-art bioelectronics devices are most prevalently preassembled prior to integration with biology.This poses issues in the development of bioelectronic systems, since to work optimally they require seamless integration between electronic and biological structures to facilitate the two-way communication between the biotic and abiotic electrical interfaces.[1]
Thereby, in the first demonstration of its kind, we present a contactless method of creating bioelectronic functional systems in situ
Our initial approach to the controlled fabrication of 3D electronic systems was to develop a printed electrochemical cell that enabled the growth of conducting conduits using bipolar electrochemistry in a controlled 3D manner
Summary
Bioelectronics is the merging of biology with electronics, and current state-of-the-art bioelectronics devices are most prevalently preassembled prior to integration with biology. This poses issues in the development of bioelectronic systems, since to work optimally they require seamless integration between electronic and biological structures to facilitate the two-way communication between the biotic and abiotic electrical interfaces.[1] Such connectivity is currently achieved in diverse fields such as bioelectronic medicine,[2] optogenetics,[3] biosensing,[4] and microbial fuel cells.[5] there have been limited examples of seamless integration of electronic components with the biology, and current methods tend to be highly invasive. Considerable advances in materials are being accomplished,[7−10] manufacturing strategies represent a key step to achieve fully integrated devices.[11]
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